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In his poem “After the Winter,” Jamaican-born poet and novelist Claude McKay writes of a “summer isle / Where bamboos spire to shafted grove / And wide-mouthed orchids smile,” declaring that “… we will build a cottage there / Beside an open glade …” It’s a serene, joyous vision offered to the speaker’s beloved, and it may shine a bit of light on the etymological connection between glade and the adjective glad, besides. Glade, which has been part of the English language since the early 1500s, was originally used not just to indicate a clearing in the woods but often specifically to refer to one filled with sunlight (note that McKay specifies that his glade is “open,” as glades can be in full or partial shade). It’s this sunniness that has led some etymologists over the years to suggest a connection with glad, which in Middle English also meant “shining.” To further the intrigue, a now-obsolete sense of glade once referred to a clear or bright space in the sky, or to a flash of light or lightning.
Examples of glade in a Sentence
Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
The cat roads in the Selkirk Mountains climb 8,300 feet, accessing everything from mellow glades and steep chutes to wide open alpine bowls.
—Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2023
That could mean a stand of pines, a glade near a creek, or anywhere moss grows, which usually indicates the right balance of shade and moisture.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2024
Some skis are a one quiver solution ideal for the intermediate or expert who loves skiing the entire mountain, from groomers to powder to glades.
—Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for glade 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Glade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glade. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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glade
noun
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